The flavors of Ubuntu from A to Z—or at least from Kubuntu to Xubuntu

Gallery: Just how many different Ubuntus are there? More than you might think.

The release of Ubuntu 13.04 is less than a week away, bringing with it some refinements to the Unity interface that users either love or hate. But Ubuntu with Unity is far from the only choice for Linux lovers or those looking to avoid Windows and OS X.

In addition to the many Linux distributions such as Fedora, Debian, or OpenSuse, there is a thriving open source community maintaining desktop operating systems based on Ubuntu code but with different user interfaces. These often have whimsical names like "Kubuntu" and "Xubuntu." While you can download the standard version of Ubuntu and apply a different user interface to it, most of these alternative distros are built with a non-Unity interface in mind from the start.

Just for fun, we're going to take a look at the different "untus" users can choose from. In particular, we'll focus on the "recognized flavors" that are part of the Ubuntu project—you can find links to more information on each of these and downloads on the Ubuntu wiki.

Jon Brodkin

Canonical spurned the latest versions of GNOME when it created the Unity desktop. But there's a distro called Ubuntu GNOME for those who want Ubuntu repositories and the GNOME desktop (also seen in the likes of Fedora). Here you see the installation process.

Jon Brodkin

Canonical spurned the latest versions of GNOME when it created the Unity desktop. But there's a distro called Ubuntu GNOME for those who want Ubuntu repositories and the GNOME desktop (also seen in the likes of Fedora). Here you see the installation process.

Jon Brodkin

Ubuntu GNOME has a similar set of pre-installed applications as Ubuntu proper, such as Firefox, LibreOffice, and Shotwell.

While Unity and GNOME have moved onto interfaces reminiscent of touchscreen operating systems, Kubuntu's KDE provides a more traditional desktop. Kubuntu might feel more familiar to Windows users than some other Ubuntu-based distros because of the placement of menus on the bottom task bar.

Jon Brodkin

Xubuntu relies on the Xfce user interface, which is less graphically intensive than Unity and may perform better on older hardware.

Jon Brodkin

While Unity provides quick access to applications with a Launcher Bar on the left side of the screen, Xubuntu places the launcher on the bottom, similar to the dock in Mac computers.

Here's one you might not have heard of—Mythbuntu combines Ubuntu, Xfce, and the MythTV platform to create a home theater PC operating system. Productivity applications like LibreOffice and the Evolution e-mail client are stripped out, leaving media-centric programs. Mythbuntu isn't as heavily publicized by Canonical as Ubuntu TV, a separate media center product using the Unity interface.

Based on the LXDE desktop environment, Lubuntu is another distro that aims to run well on old hardware. Even just 256MB of RAM can be enough to run Lubuntu.

Similar to Kubuntu, Lubuntu's traditional desktop interface might be comforting to people moving to Linux from Windows.

Jon Brodkin

The Edubuntu project is run by self-described "students, teachers, parents, and hackers" who aim to bring Ubuntu into schools and homes. Edubuntu comes with a bunch of educational tools, such as games designed to train your memory and logic.

Jon Brodkin

Unlike other alternative desktops, Edubuntu ships with a Unity interface identical to the one in the default version of Ubuntu.

Lee Hutchinson

So far we've looked at distributions that are part of the official Ubuntu project. But when it comes to alternative OSes based on Ubuntu code, there is perhaps none more popular than Linux Mint, which is made by an independent organization. Based on Debian and Ubuntu, Mint focuses on providing an extremely user-friendly interface.

I don't mind seeing flavors, but I think a bit more information about them (mini reviews?) would be helpful. Also, I don't consider myself an Ubuntu enthusiast, and I didn't encounter anything new here except Ubuntu Studio. I was expecting a list of like 20 different Ubuntu builds - not a half dozen commonly known ones.

I'm not wholly against gallery style articles. But there needs to be some damn "article" to them. 2 sentences about each of a series of screenshots easily obtainable from Google image searches is a waste of time. A list of homepage URLs to open each in a new tab and look at the homepages "gallery style" would have been more useful and informative than this.

I'd rather hear about a flavor that doesn't fone home with a list of user searches. I wiped and reloaded all my systems with a legacy version without it. Yes, I've read the ars reader comments about how it's a good deal, but no thanks. I'd move to another OS if I had to if that was the only way to get around it.

Like the NASA site, as well as many other astronomy sites, hey I like this gallery presentation style. It give me a brief information on subject and a short comment from the author. Those comments help me to get to know more about the different distributions and what to look for and compare. Been an Ubuntu user for the last two years. Love it. Great presentation. Thanks.

I'd rather hear about a flavor that doesn't fone home with a list of user searches. I wiped and reloaded all my systems with a legacy version without it. Yes, I've read the ars reader comments about how it's a good deal, but no thanks. I'd move to another OS if I had to if that was the only way to get around it.

That would be all of them that don't use Unity. And you can just uninstall the search provider, or in later versions of Ubuntu, disable it via the privacy settings.

I'd rather hear about a flavor that doesn't fone home with a list of user searches. I wiped and reloaded all my systems with a legacy version without it. Yes, I've read the ars reader comments about how it's a good deal, but no thanks. I'd move to another OS if I had to if that was the only way to get around it.

Or you could just remove the lens. In 13.04 there is an on/off switch for the shopping search.

I would have liked to see a bit more content per distro as well. But it seems to me that Linux distributions are a lot like Android ROMs -- the differences are trivial to start with, more so when you consider the differences can be mixed and matched. Don't like Unity? You can get Gnome, KDE, Xfce, and other desktop environments from the software centre.

I wanted to get into Linux, but I got into PC gaming instead. I hope one day I can have the best of both, but I don't see my favorite games getting ported to Linux (namely the Fallout and Elder Scrolls games) any time soon. If I build a new computer and take my graphics card with me, I'll put Windows 7 on it and put Ubuntu (probably just the regular one) on what I build from what's left (dual core AMD Phenom II, 4GB DDR3) for my wife. She would just be using it for the web anyway. And I think all web-only users should take a long, hard look at Linux. I know a lot of Linux faithful don't want their kind, but if Linux sees a massive influx of "newbs", maybe it will attract more software and hardware support, and we all benefit from that.

A proper review of each Ubuntu flavor would be nice, comparing usage on a high end machine vs. an older machine with meager specs like 512MB RAM. It would also be interesting to try out the Unity-based distros on a touchscreen laptop to see if they could replace Windows 8. I don't mind the slideshow layout because the largest difference between these distros is visual but more text please

A proper review of each Ubuntu flavor would be nice, comparing usage on a high end machine vs. an older machine with meager specs like 512MB RAM. It would also be interesting to try out the Unity-based distros on a touchscreen laptop to see if they could replace Windows 8. I don't mind the slideshow layout because the largest difference between these distros is visual but more text please

Planning to put lubuntu with a p4 + 512mb ram. Another other suggestions would be appreciated. its going to be for people used to XP/7 and I don't want to walk them through it too much.

Though, unlike some others here, I actually appreciate being able to actually look at the final form of an OS/DE, even if you aren't necessarily locked in to it. I occasionally find fun or useful programs via articles like this, so that's a nice little bonus.

Edit: Just realized I hadn't really addressed the concerns of others. Relative to how every single setup here is possible to create starting from an installation of practically every other one, there's not a lot that needs to be said other than describing what you get out of the box.

A proper review of each Ubuntu flavor would be nice, comparing usage on a high end machine vs. an older machine with meager specs like 512MB RAM. It would also be interesting to try out the Unity-based distros on a touchscreen laptop to see if they could replace Windows 8. I don't mind the slideshow layout because the largest difference between these distros is visual but more text please

Planning to put lubuntu with a p4 + 512mb ram. Another other suggestions would be appreciated. its going to be for people used to XP/7 and I don't want to walk them through it too much.

Lubuntu will work very well there. It's lighter than Xubuntu, and looks good. Any distro with LXDE would work really. I think there is a pre configured Fedora based one around somewhere..

"Ubuntu Studio's Blender"?? I thought that Blender was run by the "Blender Foundation" and worked on multiple platforms like Win, Mac and Linux. Or are you saying that was a screenshot of the Ubuntu version of Blender?

"Ubuntu Studio's Blender"?? I thought that Blender was run by the "Blender Foundation" and worked on multiple platforms like Win, Mac and Linux. Or are you saying that was a screenshot of the Ubuntu version of Blender?

I read it as Blender being one of the preloaded apps that came with Ubuntu Studio.

I first "discovered" Ubuntu around 7.04it was like winning the trifecta a nix with Gui, sound, and network; all OOTB

that may not seem like much by today's standardsbut for 7.04 it was stunning to me.prior to that time nix had been "pick two"I never got all 3 in the same distro

yea I went distro shopping in the beginningand I have a stack of coasters to show for itthese shopping trips also occurred around points of great change for UbuntuCompiz, and now Unity were significant changes and a bit over the top for some older hardware.but I always seemed to drift back to stock Ubuntu. a known entity that "just works"

however, even after all these years, and a lot of installs, things can go wrong, and provide "experience"like yesterday adding a dual boot to my new laptop. AHCI sucks [with out the correct utilities, I presume]

I promote Ubuntu to the "older residents computer club" and my wife prefers Ubuntu to vista,but this is not THE YEAR, nor next, nor any after. there is no profit motivation for that wide adoption.

still it is the replacement OS of choice for older hardware, and there is a lot of older hardware

Beside the obvious visual differences, are there any fundamental differences between all these flavors of Ubuntu? For instance, will Steam work on all of them, including Mint, or is it restricted just to plain old Ubuntu?

Beside the obvious visual differences, are there any fundamental differences between all these flavors of Ubuntu? For instance, will Steam work on all of them, including Mint, or is it restricted just to plain old Ubuntu?

There are no fundamental differences, except for perhaps the customer kernels in Ubuntu Studio and Ubuntu Server. An application that works in one *buntu should work without issue in another, you would just need to install any library or application dependencies needed (which is done automatically).

Now as for whether the vendor will support someone using an Ubuntu derivative, that's up to them.

I wish Linux Mint would focus on being able to upgrade without having to reinstall the OS. Did they ever fix that problem?

more info is here http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2basically the are providing a tool to keep all you settings /data between installs, sounds not a to bad idea to me.Better than trying to fix "random" issues when upgrading 3 times . (had that with ubuntu, 2 identical laptops, used in similar way, from same HDD image, after 3 upgrades one started to give issues with notifications , never managed to fix it, the other was fine until i now reinstalled them both to Mint)

As far as I know, none of those distros are backed by Canonical anymore. For tham, it's just Ubuntu from now on. I think that's worth mentioning in the article.

I don't like using less known DEs because there are no apps written for them. Whatever you install, will bless your hard drive with a ton of dependencies. It happens to Qt ad GTK as well. You want Firefox on KDE? You need GTK. You want Krusader on Gnome? Qt is for you. Using other DEs, pretty much guarantees you'll have no less than 3 toolkits installed.Don't get me wrong, I think choices are key to further progress, it's just that I find it hard to motivate myself to go through all of them.